Sewing machine desk cabinet



Aug. 19, 1952 F. w. PREUSS 2,607,651

SEWING MACHINE DESK CABINET .Filed May 5, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 v AITORNEYS Aug. 19, 1952 Filed May 3, 1952 F. W. PREUSS v SEWING MACHINE DESK CABINET 2 SHEETS-ShEET 2 r1 .5. 24 f6 25 k 31 WW4 WW i $52 WA /7 I v 4 45 -32 37 651 f4 44 35 6! 13 r1 .5. I 47 49 51 ?3 25 244 6 43 43' 3- 5746 2116 777 i m p' 1 58 i y 29 44% 4/- 37 H4 -32 In] INVENTOR V ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1952 SEWING MACHINE DESK CABINET Frederick W. Preuss, Jackson, Miss., assignonto Necchi Sewing Machine Sales Corp., a corporation Application May 3, 1952, Serial No. 285,892

This invention relates to desk cabinets, more particularly of the type to mount a sewing machine for concealment when not in use.

As conducive to an understanding of themvention, it is noted that where a sewing machine cabinet is in the form of a desk and the sewing machine is pivotallyv mounted thereon so that when not in use, it may be concealed in a well covered by a suitable cover panel which forms the desk top, as such deskjcabinetis intended for use in a conspicuous place such as a living room, if any indication is offered that in fact the desk cabinet is not really a desk, the unit loses all attractiveness as a flnepiece of furniture.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a sewing machine desk cabinet of the above type which is devoid of the telltale extension panels superposed as an extra ply over the top of the cabinet and devoid of the hinges exposed to view at the end edge 'of the cabinet top, so that there is no suggestion even to a critical observer that the cabinetwhen closed serves any function other than that of an ordinary writing desk.

According to the invention, aslidable cover panel which extends flush with the outline of the topof the'desk is superposed in closed position over the sewing machine support which is mounted to afford clearance for such slida-ble cover panel andin use of the sewing machine v is. displaced to extend into the plane of .the slidable cover panel after I the latter is moved to open position. 7 V

In the accompanying drawings in whichare shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. lis a perspective view of the sewing machine cabinet in closed position,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sewing machine cabinet in operating position,

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 with the sewing machine in the well of the cabinet,

' Fig. dis a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the sewing machinejust prior to removal thereof from the well,

Fig.- 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 5 5 of Fig. l,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the supporting panel for the sewing machine in raised position, 7

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken along line 11 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is aview similar to Fig. 7 taken along line 88 of Fig. 4, and I Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 9--9 of Fig. 6. I, I

Referring now to the drawings, the sewing machine cabinet which desirably is in the form of a kneehole desk, has .a drawer section II at 9 Claims. (Cl. 312-30) V 2 I slidably mounted in conventional manner. The other end of the desk desirably has an upright supporting member 13 which may be in the form of a plurality of legs, or as illustratively shown herein, a standard which extends transversely across the entire width of the desk parallel to the drawer section. i

Supported by the upper edges of the end wall M of the drawer section and thestandard I3 is a substantially rectangular top frame I5 which desirably comprises a pair of guide strips 16 and Il extending longitudinally along the rear and front edges of the desk, respectively.

The frame l5 also desirably includes an abutment strip [8 afiixed tothe upper edge of the standard I 3 and a brace strip I9 afiixed to the upper edge of end wall l4, said abutment strip 18 and brace strip [9 extending transversely between the adjacent ends of guide strips 3 and The height of the standard; I 3 and the end wall l4is such that the top surfaces of the'guide strips I6 and I1 and the abutment strip l8 will be in the same horizontal plane at a convenient level above the floor, say 31 inches, for example.

The frame of the desk top has a rectangular slidable cover panel 23 rabbeted thereinto. this end a tongue 24 along each of the longitudinal edges of the cover panel coacts with a corresponding longitudinal groove 2| in the inner surface 22 of guide strips l6 and 11 respectively so that the top surface of the panel desirably is flush with the top surface of said guide strips l6 and H. The inner transverse edge 25 of the cover panel 23 also desirably has a rabbet tongue :24 extending transversely thereacross which coacts with a transverse groove 2] in abutment strip l8 when the panel is in closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

As shown in Fig. 1, the length of the cover panel 23 is such that when in closed position, the outer transverse edge 21 thereof will be. flush with the ends 28- of guide strips l6 and I1, and with the brace strip l9 which is of thickness such that the cover panel 23 may readily slide thereover, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the cover panel 23 desirably has a longitudinal groove 26 in the undersurface thereof, preferably centrally located therein, and a stoppin 29 afiixed in brace strip l9 protrudes upwardly into said groove 26. The

groove 26; desirably terminates as at 3| at such a distance from the transverse edge 25 of the cover panel 23 that when the cover panel 23 is movedto open position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the end,3l of the groove 26 abuts against the pin .29 to limit the movement of the cover panel, the transverse edge 25 will be sufiiciently spaced one end thereof, with a plurality of drawers [2 from the ends 28'of' the'gui de'strips I6 and IT 3 for adequate support for such cover panel 23 by the connecting tongues and grooves 2 2!.

Extending longitudinally between the-standard l3 and the inner wall 32 of the drawer section 2 at the rear and the front of the desk respectively, and depending from the guide strips l5.

and l! are a pair of substantially rectangular skirts 33 and 34 which, together with the aur cent portions of the inner Wall 32 'and standard l3 define a well 35 in which an operating suit such as a sewing machine 36 maybe positioned.

'The sewing machine 36 is desirably mounted on a horizontal, substantially rectangular sup porting plate 3'! of width slightly less than the distance between front. and, rear skirts 3d and 33; The: plate 37 is mounted so that it may readily: be moved, from, a position beneath the plane of'the, undersurface of cover planel 23 to a position in which its top surface is flush with the top surfaces of guide strips l3 and i? and abutment strip l8.

To this end, a parallel motion linkage is provide'd which comprises two pairs of links 4! of equal length, each pair oflinks being pivoted at their lower ends as at 42, tothe inner surface of the front and rear skirts 3e and 33 respectively, and at their upper ends as at'd3 to the edges of the supporting plate, 3! extending parallel to said front and rear skirts, respectively.

To limit the downward movement of the supporting plate, a stop strip lid extending trans versely across the desk is affixed to the upper edge of inner wall. 32 beneath the under'surfa'ce of cover panel 23 so that when the parallel motion linkage is in the retracted position shown in Fig. 5, the end edge 45 of the supporting plate 37 will rest on said stop, strip.

As shown in Fig. 6,. the supporting plate 3'5 desirably has a transverse tongue 46 in the end edge 4!- thereof which coacts withthe transverse groove Zlin abutment strip l8, when the parallel motion linkage is in Vertical position, asfshown in Fig. 6,,with the top surface of the supporting platetl flush with the top surfaces of strips l6, l7 and l8.

The end edge 45 of the, supporting plate 37 desirably'hasia transverse groove 48 therein, to re,- ceive the transverse tongue 24 in the end 25. of cover panel 23. Thus, when the supporting plateB'l is in its uppermost extended position, as shown in Fig. 6, the cover panel 23 can be slid manually from its outermost. position shown in Figs.,4 and 6, to move tongue 24 thereof into notch 43. As a result, the .entire top surface of the desk will be substantially uninterrupted. V

Although the supporting plate 31 will remain in its uppermost extended position, as shown in Fig. 6 by reason of;the vertical position of the parallel motion links 4|, and the abutment of cover panel 23 thereagainst, a locking assembly 5| is desirably provided to releasably retain the supporting plate 31 in its uppermost position.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 9, the looking as sembly desirably comprises a latch member 52' affixed by screws 53 to the inner surface of. standard I3 in well 35. The latch member has a.

plunger 54 with a cam surface 55, in the path of movement of a complementary latch plate 5% afiixed by screws 5'! to the undersurface of supporting plate 31 at the end 41 thereof. The latch member and latch plate are so arranged that when the supporting plate 31 is lifted and moved to the right due to the parallel motion linkage, from the position shown in Fig. 5, to the-position shown in Fig. 6, the latch plate 56 will ride over the cam surface of the plunger 54 forcing the latter downwardly againstthe tension of a conventional coil spring (notshown) and when the supporting plate 31 is in its uppermost position, the plunger 54 will snap into a recess 58 in the latch plate tolock the supporting plate in position.

Inorderto release the supporting plate 31 so that it'may bemoved into well 35, the latch member 52 has a lever 6| controlling the plunger 54. The lever is in turn actuated by a controlling rod 62' connected at one end thereto and guided byabracket 63, the handle 64 of the rod 32 being positioned adjacent the front skirt 34, slightly to the rear thereof.

In the illustrative. embodiment herein shown, the supporting plate 31- desirably has a substantially rectangular T opening 85,. therethrou h of dimensions butslightly greater thanthose of the substantially rectangular base. fififof the sewing machine '36, the edge. 6,1.of said' opening being inwardly. inclined, as shown in Fig; 8. Aifixed to supporting plate '3'! adjacent'the edgetl thereof are a pair of brackets 63; each of, which, as shown in Fig. 8, has a mountin portion 11 aff xed in a recess 12, as by screws 13;.- The bracketfia d esirably has a pair of, spaced paralleljlfi s 14 formed integral with, mounting portion H and depending into a notch '|5 in edge 61; the front edges 13 of, legs '14. also, being inwardly inclined,

as shown in. Fig. 8. I I

Pivotally mountedas by a pin ll between the legs of each bracket, a link'lfi-Jhe outer end 79 of which is affixed in any suitable manner to the adjacent edge 8|.of the base 65. Thus the base of the. sewing machine maybe pivoted in a clockwise and counterclockwisedirection about pins 11. l t i In order to retain the base of; the sewing machine in horizontal; position, substantially flush with the, surface of supporting plate 3} so that the machine will be set for use, the leg 80 of a substantially L-shaped retaininggmember 82 is pivotally mounted as by hinges, 83 to the edge 84 of opening 65. The endi85 of leg 85 of the retaining member, when the latter is inhorizontal position, seats on a stop plate 8"!- affixed to the undersurface of supporting plate 31 andextend ing laterally into opening- 65. The free edge of leg 86 desirably has a fiange BB therealong which, when the locking memb er 8 2- is in horizontal position, as shown 's-,;may; e: positioned beneath the adjacent edge 85* of base 83.;

To use the sewing machine; the cover panel 23 is slid to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, to the positionshown in Fi m-B Thesupporting member Wis-then pivoted upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4. The user then may lift the supporting plate'ST' from-theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6. By reason of the-parallel motion linkage 4|, such lifting of thesupportin'gl plate 37 will also cause it to move to the-ri 'ght un til the tongue 43 enters groove 2|. At this time the plunger 54 will snap into recess 58 to lock the provided to permit thesupporting member 82; to

'be pivoted downwardly to horizontal position with the end 85 of leg 83 resting on stopplat-e 8-1. The machine may then bereleased until the edge 89 thereof rests on flange 8 8 to securely hold the machine in operating position. The userthen need merely slide the cover panel 23 to the rightuntil tongue 21' thereof enters groove 48 in supporting plate .31 and the machine is "ready for use.

With theconstruction above described, when the cabinet is in closed position, shown in Fig. 1, no hinges are visible nor is the top of the cabinet of double thickness as in the case of the conventional kneehole desk sewing machine cabinet of the same general type, where one or more cover leaves are hingedly mounted at their ends to pivot over the well of the cabinet to conceal the latter. Consequently, the kneehole desk cabinet herein is undistinguishable from a standard kneehole desk so that it may be placed in a conspicuous place in a living room without detracting from the attractiveness thereof and without any indication that it is not a fine article of furniture in the form of a desk rather than a sewing machine cabinet.

Although the unit herein has been shown and described as a-cabinet for a sewing machine, it is of course to be understood that other types of operating devices such as a typewriter could be mounted to the supporting plate 31 in the same manner as the sewing machine 35.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A desk cabinet comprising a substantially rectangular frame, means to support said frame in horizontal position at substantially desk height from the floor, a horizontal machine supporting plate, parallel motion linkage displaceably connecting'said plate to said support, means arresting said plate at one extremity of its displacement in position directly beneath the horizontal plane of said frame, means arresting said plate at the other extremity of its displacement in position substantially flush with the horizontal plane of said frame and a cover panel slidably mounted on said frame and extending over said supporting plate when the latter is in its lower limiting position.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the links of the parallel motion linkage extend downward from the horizontal supporting plate, in which the means that limits displacement in the lower position of said plate is a stop strip transversely of the cabinet upon which one end of said plate rests in lower position and in which the means limiting displacement at the upper position of said plate is by tongue and groove coaction between the opposite end of said plate and the corresponding part of said frame.

3. A desk cabinet comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a pair of spaced parallel guide strips and an abutment strip extending transversely between said guide strips at one end thereof, means to support said frame in horizontal position at substantially desk height from the floor, a horizontal supporting plate normally positioned directly beneath the horizontal plane of the top surface of said frame, a cover panel slidably mounted on said frame and movable from closed position over said supporting plate longitudinally away therefrom to expose the latter, a parallel motion linkage carrying said supporting plate and arranged for movement of the latter upwardly and toward said abutment strip fromjsaid horizontal position beneath the plane of said frame. to a horizontal position substantially flush with thehorizontal plane of the'top' surface of said frame with the forward edge of said supporting plate against said abutment strip, said supporting plate having an opening therein, whereby an operating unit having a base may be pivotally mounted to said supporting plate so as to be movable into said opening and means on said supportingv pla'teto retain'the base of said operating unitin horizontal position.

4. The combination set forth in claim- 3 in which said guide strips and the adjacent edges of said cover panel have complementary means slidablyto mount said cover panel on said guide strips, and said abutment strip and the forward edge of said supporting plate have complementary tongue and groove conformations which coact when said supporting plate is substantially flush with the horizontal plane of said frame.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which an end of the cover panel is against the abutment strip when the cover panel is in closed position and said end and said abutment strip have complementary tongue and groove conformations which coact when said cover panel is in closed position.

6. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said guide strips and the adjacent edges of said cover panel have complementary means slidably to mount said cover panel on said guide strips, saidabutment strip and. the forward edge of said supporting plate have complementary tongue and groove conformations which coact when said supporting plate is substantially flush with the horizontal plane of said frame, an end of said cover panel is movable against-the abutment strip when the cover panel is in closed position, said end and said abutment strip having complementary tongue and groove conformations which coact when said cover panel is in closed position and said rear edge of said supporting plate has a conformation complementary with the conformation on the end of said cover panel, whereby when the forward edge of said supporting plate is against said abutment strip and the cover panel is moved to bring said end thereof against the rear edge of said supporting plate, the complementary conformations on the rear edge of the supporting plate and on the end of said cover panel will coact.

7. A desk cabinet comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a pair of spaced parallel guide strips and an abutment strip extending transversely between said guide strips at one end thereof, means to support said frame in horizontal position at substantially desk height from the floor, a pair of skirts depending from said guide strips respectively and extending longitudinally thereof, a horizontal supporting plate normally positioned directly beneath the horizontal plane of the top surface of said frame, two pairs of links pivoted at their upper ends respectively to opposed said edges of said supporting plate and at their lower ends to said pair of skirts respectively to define a parallel motion linkage for movement of said supporting plate upwardly and toward said abutment strip from said horizontal position beneath the plane of said frame to a horizontal position substantially flush with the horizontal plane of said frame, with the forward edge of said supporting plate against said abutment strip, a cover panel slidably mounted on said frame and movable from closed position over said supporting plate longitudinally. away. there-.

from toiexposethe latter, saicLsuppmting plate having an openingthere'in whereby an operating unit having. a base may be pivotally mounted tosaid supportingplate so as. tobe movable into said. opening and ineans;on said. supporting plate to retain the base ofjsaidoperating unitin horizontal-position. .l l

s; TheLcOmbinatiOn set'forth in claim7 in.

which the supporting me'ansfor said frame near 'theabutmentastrip has :azlatch. member mounted 8 ing, pin. mounted thereon "which. is positioned, in a longitudinal groove. in the undersurface of'said; cover panelto limitthe sliding. movement of the latter.

FREDERICK W. Reeves;

. REFERENCES irlie The following references are ofrecord inthe file of this patent: 5

I UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 150,775 Murphy May 12, 1874 153,438 Jones-. May 12, 1874 325,081 Hiteshew Aug. 25, 1885 392,422 Garvie Nov. 6, 18.88 624,716 Westerfield May 9, 13 9.. 1,816,249 Brainard Jul; 28, 1931 2,362,243 Chason Nov. 7, 1944 2,409,758 Hohmann Oct. 22, 1946 2,528,935 Williams Nov. 7, 1950 

